Ridge gourd peel chutney/ Beerakaya tokku pachadi

Ingredients:

skin of 3 large ridge gourds (about 2 cups)
7-8 green chillis
2 cups chopped tomato pieces
4 garlic pods
1cup chopped coriander
3 inch piece of tamarind2 tsps oil
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp jeera seeds
salt as per taste

For seasoning/poppu/tadka:
1/2 tsp mustard and jeera seeds each
1-2 dry red chillis
big pinch asafoetida/inguva/hing
few fresh curry leaves
1 tbsp oil

Preparation:

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan add the green chillis and saute for a 1 min. Add the ridge gourd peels (chop them into small pieces) and fry on medium heat for 4-5 mts.
2. Add the tamarind, tomatoes, garlic, jeera, turmeric, salt and fry till the water from tomatoes evaporates.
3. Then add coriander leaves and  fry for 1 min. let it cool and grind it to coarse chutney, adjust the salt and spice.
4.  Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add mustard, jeera seeds and let them pop, add curry leaves and dry red chillis followed by asafoetida and stir fry for a few seconds.
5.  Mix the seasoning to the ground chutney and serve with hot rice or dosa.

Ridge gourd milk curry/ Beerakaya palu koora

Ingredients:

 Ridge gourd / beerakaya  3 (peel the skin and chop)

Onions 1 chopped

1 tsp each mustard, cumin seeds and urad dal

Curry leaves few

2 green chillies 

4 garlic flakes (mashed)

Milk 3/4 cup

1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder

1 tsp salt (as per taste)

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tbsp oil

                             

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan.  Add mustard, cumin and urad dal.  When mustard starts spluttering and urad dal changes color add onions, green chillies, curry leaves and garlic flakes. 

2.  Fry until the onions become transparent. Add chopped ridge gourd salt and turmeric stir and close with lid and let it cook on medium flame for 8-10 min.

3. Stir the curry in between, once the ridge gourd pieces get transparent and all the water gets evaporated add chilli power and cook it for 2 minutes.

4. Add milk to the curry and cook it till the curry thickens for 2-3 min

5. Serve hot with roti or rice.